Municipal Tree Seminar

Slide 1: 

Planting for Success Rick W. Harper Cornell Coop. Extension – Westchester Co. rwh26@cornell.edu

Slide 2: 

Historical Perspective From 1860-1910 Forests East of the Mississippi Were Cleared at a Rate of 13.3 sq. mi./day Forest Cover From 70% to 20% www.fhwa.dot.gov US Forest Service

Slide 3: 

Historical Perspective Open Spaces-High Levels of Light Were Necessary (Grazing Animals, Growing Food) Concern Human-Wildlife Conflicts Access Medical Care Limited Raw Wood & Wood Products (Lumber)

Slide 4: 

Photo credits: Mr. J. Nicoletti, Commissioner of Public Works The City of White Plains Source: Historic White Plains The City of White Plains – 1900 Living in Immediate Vicinity of Trees – The Exception

Slide 5: 

The City of White Plains – 1900 Photo credits: Mr. J. Nicoletti, Commissioner of Public Works The City of White Plains Source: Historic White Plains

Slide 6: 

The City of Yonkers – Early 1900’s

Slide 7: 

The City of White Plains – Late 1930’s Photo credits: Mr. J. Nicoletti, Commissioner of Public Works The City of White Plains Source: Historic White Plains

Slide 8: 

59% of NYS is Forested 38.4% of Tree Cover in Urban Centers 70% Pop. Located in Urban Communities Present Day Perspective

Slide 9: 

= Modern Day Experiment Large Population Numbers + Large Numbers of Mature Trees

Slide 10: 

Trees Did Not Evolve in the Urban Environment

Slide 11: 

…Inherent Variables, Conflicts & Risks

Slide 12: 

Nor'easter Tragedy: Retired Teacher Killed by Falling Tree Leaving Grandnephew's Birthday Party By Henrick Karoliszyn, Michael J. Fenney & Katie Nelson Six Killed in Nor'easter: Hundreds of Trees Fall During Storm as Number of 911 Calls Topped 9/11 By John Lauinger & Helen Kennedy – March 15th 2010 DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS http://nydailynews.com Accessed April 22, 2010 Tree Crushes Car, Killing NYC Doctor in Westchester By Jenny Chung in News – March 21, 2008 http://www.gothamist.com Accessed April 22, 2010 Deadly Crash on the Merrit Parkway in Westport News Channel 8 – June 10, 2007 http://wtnh.com Accessed March 2008

Slide 13: 

Given the Benefits (& Risks) Associated With Trees… How Do We Plant For Success?

Slide 14: 

80% Landscape Tree Problems Originate Below Ground Dr. G. Watson

Slide 15: 

Limiting Factor of Urban Trees is Space to Develop Healthy Root System

Slide 16: 

Gleditsia triacanthos – Syracuse, NY Quercus phellos – Washington, DC

Slide 17: 

Slide 18: 

Slide 19: 

49 Square Feet 16 Square Feet 25 Square Feet Photo credits: Mr. J. Nicoletti, Commissioner of Public Works The City of White Plains Important “Local” Modifications

Slide 20: 

How Much Space Is Enough? Tree Pit = 60 cu. ft. – 150 cu. ft. Avg. Street Tree Lives 5-15 Years = A Fraction of its Potential

Slide 21: 

How Much Space is Enough? 8.3 cu.yd. = 21-40’ tree 92.6 cu. yd. = Lg. tree 1.0 cu. yd. = 1”dia. 22.2 cu. yd. = 10”dia. 44.4 cu. yd. = 25”dia. 2.0 cu. ft. = sq. ft. of Deciduous Canopy (Lindsey, Bassuk)

Slide 22: 

2-3X Radius of the Canopy of the Tree 2X Height of the Tree (or more) Dr. G. Johnson, UMN Roots Extend…

Slide 23: 

Typically, Area Beneath The Sidewalk Is The Only Available Location For Soil (and Roots). How Much Space is Enough?

Slide 24: 

Photo credit: www.omron-ap.co.nz Photo credit: www.nea.gov.sg Underground Tunnel/Piping System

Slide 25: 

Silva Cells 1-3 Level Frame Deck System Fiberglass/ Galvanized Steel Photo Credit: Color Landscapes www.colorlandscapes.com Photo credit: Pittsburghforest.org

Slide 26: 

Photo Credit: Pittsburghforest.org …Suspended Pavement 92% Void Space Soil Pavement $250.00 / cu.ft. Select Cities Photo Credit: Green-fab.com

Slide 27: 

CU-Structural Soil 80% Crushed Stone Hydrogel Binding Agent Holds 300x – 500x Wt. in H20 30g Hydrogel / 100kg of Stone 20% Clay/Loam-Based Soil

Slide 28: 

Slide 29: 

2-3’ Depth, 5-8’ Width $50.00 / Cu. Yd. Strong as a Base Course of Gravel Compacted to 95-100% MPD, has a CBR 50 +

Slide 30: 

Structural Soil

Slide 31: 

Slide 33: 

Slide 34: 

Comparison Acer campestre Standard Planting - 3yrs Acer campestre CU SS Planting - 3yrs

Slide 35: 

Slide 36: 

Acer platanoides – 5 yrs. CU Structural Soil Conventional Planting

Slide 37: 

Sydney, Australia

Slide 38: 

Quercus phellos, Q. bicolor, Koelreuteria paniculata CU Structural Soil – 12 Years

Slide 39: 

Ulmus parvifolia x U. carpinifolia ‘Frontier’ CU Structural Soil – 6 Years, 2” Dia.

Slide 40: 

The Main Challenge = Space What’s Our Main Input?

Slide 41: 

Over 90% of Street Tree Plantings are B & B Established in Ground – Dug and Wrapped

Slide 42: 

Nursery Stock – ANSI (Z60.1) “Soil Above Root Flare….Should be Removed”

Slide 43: 

Check – Especially if No Flare Visible Uppermost Structural Roots Within 1-3” of Soil Surface, 3-4” From the Stem Plant With Surface of Root Ball 1-2” Higher Photo credits: www.mortonarb.org

Slide 44: 

Excess Soil – Proceed With Caution Excess Soil Possibly Removed Slowly Over Period of Time 4 Yrs. Acer spp. 50-75% of Trunk Dia. Encircled with G.R. (20% control) Photo credits: C.Wells www.mortonarb.org Photo credit: www.mortonarb.org

Slide 45: 

Trees Planted Deeply = Sig. More Susceptible to Pest Problems Root Pathogens (Armillaria spp., Phytophthora spp.) Insects (Dendroctonus spp., Synanthedon spp.) Reduced Life-Expectancy Photo credits: www.mortonarb.org

Slide 46: 

Shelf-Life Availability Accessibility Using B & B Trees

Slide 47: 

More Root Tissue Cheaper Easier to Handle Using Bare-Root Trees

Slide 48: 

Using Container-Grown Trees Combination of Challenges-Benefits

Slide 49: 

Slide 50: 

Monitor Your Tree Populations

Slide 51: 

Make The Unpopular (But Necessary) Decisions

Slide 52: 

Adapt Our Expectations To Site Conditions

Slide 53: 

Photo credit: goupatree.com Evolving Technologies

Slide 54: 

Critical Root Radius (CRR) Protected Root Zone (PRZ) Species-Specific Research

Slide 55: 

Suggested Sites www.hort.cornell.edu/uhi N.Bassuk www.mortonarb.org G.Watson www.forestry.umn.edu G. Johnson http://isa-arbor.com www.cce.cornell.edu/ westchester 914-285-4640

Slide 56: 

Educational Opportunity Anna Snider 914-285-4617, ALS227@cornell.edu